


Floor

by Kate_Monster



Category: The OA (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 07:20:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18889852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kate_Monster/pseuds/Kate_Monster
Summary: A little nighttime drabble, set in between the flashbacks from "The Champion" (Part I, Episode 3).





	Floor

_Homer? Are you there?_

_Got nowhere else to go..._

_I meant, are you still awake._

_Hey._

_What are you doing?_

_Dunno. Just thinkin’._

_About what?_

_Stuff. Nothing much._

_Oh. Private stuff?_

_What are you thinking about?_

_I’m so hungry. My stomach…_

_That happens sometimes. You just need to distract yourself._

_What time is it?_

_It’s probably almost bedtime. You could try to go to sleep, and there might be more food when you wake up._

_I think I’m too hungry to sleep._

_Drink some water. It’s safe now. That’ll fill you up._

_Do you ever see anything in the water? Like, fish? Or leaves?_

_No. I always figured it’s getting filtered somehow. Maybe through the rocks. Which is good for drinking, but..._

_A fish would be nice. Once in awhile._

_What would we do with a fish? Just eat it raw?_

_Oh. I guess that wouldn’t work._

_You ever had sushi?_

_Sushi’s cooked. Are you thinking of sashimi?_

_Maybe. I wouldn’t know._

_Don’t they have sushi in Missouri?_

_Not in any of the places I used to hang out. I’d like to try it sometime, though. What about you?_

_I could definitely go for some sushi right now. I think I need to stop thinking about food. Aren’t you hungry all the time here?_

_I try not to think about it. My body’s used to it now. Yours will get there, too, eventually. Look, you can’t eat your food all at once like you have been. You have to spread it out. Breakfast, lunch and dinner._

_Is that what you do?_

_I divide up my pellets every day and count them out. One quarter for breakfast, one quarter for lunch, and the last half for dinner._

_Why does he do it that way? Why not just give us real food?_

_He explained it to Rachel once. It’s because he has to order all his food. And if he was ordering food for more than himself all the time, it might make people suspicious._

_So then what are we actually eating?_

_...You don’t want to know._

_I need to._

_It’s lab chow._

_What’s that?_

_The perfect, complete diet for primates._

_Ew. Are you serious?_

_All the nutrition you need._

_Oh, my god. I never want to touch it again._

_You have to, if you’re gonna survive._

_Stop laughing at me. You sound just like him._

_Wow. Okay. That one stings._

_I didn’t mean that. I’m sorry, Homer._

_I know you’re just teasing. It’s all right._

_It’s not. You’re nothing like him._

_You don’t know me very well._

_I know you well enough. You want me to survive, and so does he. But he wants me to do it for him, and you want me to do it for me._

_I mean... I want you to do it for me, too. You’re helping me out a lot._

_It’s not the same._

_It’s not?_

_You know it’s not. You know what I mean._

_Hey. Prairie. You trust me?_

_Of course._

_Go back over to your dish._

_What?_

_Just walk over there. You said you trust me._

_Okay._

_Now reach around. With your left hand. Feel around there. Little more._

_What - how did that happen?_

_I just noticed it. That’s why you’re so hungry. You didn’t realize those pieces fell out._

_You found food for me._

_I didn’t notice before. I’m sorry._

_You looked. That’s what matters._

_See? I told you, I got you. Now stop kissing my ass, and put some meat on yours._

_What?_

_Eat, woman!_

_This is the best monkey chow I’ve ever had._

_Must be that extra floor seasoning taste._

_He had rice and beans for dinner tonight upstairs._

_In front of you?_

_I prepared it._

_I bet you could sneak a bite or two. He’d never know._

_I never know when he’s looking. Not for sure._

_You always seem like you can tell when I’m looking._

_Because you talk so much. He’s so silent sometimes._

_Did you ask him to share dinner with you?_

_No._

_Why not? You don’t always have to worry about us. I mean it. If you can get food up there, you should just fucking do it. Scott wouldn’t hesitate. Rach and I wouldn’t care._

_That’s not it._

_Then why-?_

_I’m afraid of what he would expect in return._

_Oh, shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t even think..._

_Of course not. Because you’re not like him. You wouldn’t think like that. And I see that._

_Really? I thought you were blind._

_That’s not funny._

_Wanna try that part again then? How we aren’t the same?_

_Sure. Okay. He cares about what I can give him. What he can get from me. You care about what you can give me. It made you happy when I found that food on the floor just now. I heard it in your voice. You didn’t get to eat it. It didn’t help you. But it helped me, and you liked that. You didn’t expect anything in return. That’s what makes you different._

_I hope you’ll keep being friends with me. That’s what I want in return._

_I will. I definitely will. But I would have done that anyway, even if you didn’t help me find food._

_Well, then, you should be able to tell from my voice right now, that makes me happy._

_I wish I could make rice and beans for you._

_That makes two of us._

_I’m not hungry any more. Maybe l can sleep now._

_Good night, Prairie. May you have many sweet dreams of eating beans and rice with me._

_Good night, Homer. May you have many sweet dreams of sushi, without floor seasoning._

_I’ll settle for some fresh pizza._

_Or beans…_

_Yeah. Especially if you made ‘em._

_I’m not that good a cook. I’m blind, remember?_

_You still probably cook better than me._

_I’ll teach you how._

_Deal. I’m glad we can be friends here, Prairie._

_Me too, Homer._

_Good night._

_Night._


End file.
